1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an assigning device of an electronic musical instrument which selects a musical tone-generating channel to assign a new musical tone, or more particularly to a technique to assign a new musical tone of successive strike.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, the above-mentioned assigning device of an electronic musical instrument determines preliminarily selecting the order of a musical tone-generating channel for assigning a new musical tone as follows.
1 The order to select a musical tone-generating channel is determined according to the order in which a musical tone is assigned by depressing a key or namely a note-on message. PA0 2 The order to select the musical tone-generating channel is determined in the order of lower envelope level of an assigned musical tone. PA0 (a) successive-strike detecting means for detecting musical tone-generating channels with a successive strike relation, from among the channels which are in sound-generating condition; PA0 (b) altering means for altering the content subject of a predetermined preferential order rule so that a musical tone-generating channel that is detected by the detecting means and has the successive strike relation is preferentially selected at least among the musical tone-generating channels in the sound-generating condition to be assigned with a new musical tone, according to the assigning order based on the predetermined preferential order rule; and PA0 (c) order selecting means for preliminarily determining the order of selecting a musical tone-generating channel to which a new musical tone is assigned according to the assigning order based on the predetermined preferential order rule under the content subject of the predetermined preferential order rule and to be altered by the altering means. PA0 (a) successive-strike detecting means for detecting musical tone-generating channels with a successive strike relation, from among the channels which are in sound-generating condition; PA0 (b) altering means for altering the content subject of a predetermined preferential order rule so that a musical tone-generating channel that is detected by the detecting means and has the successive strike relation is preferentially selected at least among the musical tone-generating channels in the sound-generating condition to be assigned with a new musical tone, according to the assigning order based on the predetermined preferential order rule; and PA0 (c) channel selecting means for selecting a musical tone-generating channel to assign a new musical tone based on the predetermined preferential order rule under the content subject of the predetermined preferential order rule and to be altered by the altering means. PA0 (a) successive-strike detecting means for detecting musical tone-generating channels with a successive strike relation, from among the channels which are in sound-generating condition; PA0 (b) altering means for altering the content subject of a predetermined preferential order rule so that a musical tone-generating channel that is detected by the detecting means and has the successive strike relation is preferentially selected among the musical tone-generating channels in the sound-generating condition to be assigned with a new musical tone, according to the assigning order based on the predetermined preferential order rule; and PA0 (c) channel selecting means for selecting preferentially: at first, in case that a musical tone-generating channel in sound-generation finished condition is existing, the musical tone-generating channel in sound-generation finished condition; and next, in case that a musical tone-generating channel in sound-generation finished condition is not existing and all musical tone-generating channels are in sound generating condition, a musical tone-generating channel based on the predetermined preferential order rule under the content subject of the predetermined preferential order rule and to be altered by the altering means, to assign a new musical tone. PA0 (a) successive-strike detecting means for detecting musical tone-generating channels with a successive strike relation, from among the channels which are in sound-generating condition; PA0 (b) altering means for altering the content subject of a predetermined preferential order rule so that a musical tone-generating channel that is detected by the detecting means and has the successive strike relation is preferentially selected among the musical tone-generating channels in the sound-generating condition to be assigned with a new musical tone, according to the assigning order based on the predetermined preferential order rule; and PA0 (c) channel selecting means for selecting preferentially: in case that a musical tone-generating channel, which is subject to be assigned based on preliminarily determined selecting order of musical tone-generating channels for assigning a new musical tone, is in sound-generation finished condition, the musical tone-generating channel in sound-generation finished condition; and next, in case a musical tone-generating channel, which is subject to be assigned based on preliminarily determined selecting order of musical tone-generating channels for assigning a new musical tone, is not in sound-generation finished condition, a musical tone-generating channel based on the predetermined preferential order rule under the content subject to the predetermined preferential order rule and to be altered by the altering means, to assign a new musical tone. PA0 1. Using the sound generation volume of a musical tone-generating channel as the content subject of the predetermined preferential order rule, priority is given to a musical tone-generating channel having smaller sound generation volume. PA0 2. Using the features of sound-generating condition including note-on and note-off of a musical tone-generating channel as the content subject of the predetermined preferential order rule, priority is given to musical tone-generating channels at least in the note-off sound-generating condition over those in the note-on sound-generating condition. PA0 3. Using the features of sound-generating condition including note-on and note-off of a musical tone-generating channel and the sound generation volume of a musical tone-generating channel as the content subject of the predetermined preferential order rule, priority is given to musical tone-generating channels at least in the note-off sound-generating condition over those in the note-on sound-generating condition, and among the musical tone-generating channels at least in the note-off sound-generating condition, to a musical tone-generating channel having smaller generation volume of musical tones. PA0 4. Using the features of sound-generating and sound generation-finished conditions of a musical tone-generating channel as the content subject of the predetermined preferential order rule, priority is given to a musical tone-generating channel in the sound-generation-finished condition over that in the sound-generating condition. PA0 (a) successive-strike detecting means for detecting musical tone-generating channels with a successive strike relation, from among the channels which are in sound-generating condition; PA0 (b) channel selecting means for selecting preferentially a musical tone-generating channel that is detected by the detecting means and has the successive strike relation, over those in no successive strike relation, and also a musical tone-generating channel in sound-generation finished condition over those in the successive strike relation to assign a new musical tone. PA0 (a) successive-strike detecting means for detecting musical tone-generating channels with a successive strike relation, from among the channels which are in sound-generating condition; PA0 (b) channel selecting means for selecting preferentially: at first, in case that a musical tone-generating channel in sound-generation finished condition is existing, the musical tone-generating channel in sound-generation finished condition; and next, in case that a musical tone-generating channel in sound-generation finished condition is not existing and all musical tone-generating channels are in sound generating condition, a musical tone-generating channel detected by the successive strike detecting means, to assign a new musical tone. PA0 (a) successive-strike detecting means for detecting musical tone-generating channels with a successive strike relation, from among the channels which are in sound-generating condition; PA0 (b) channel selecting means for selecting preferentially: in case that a musical tone-generating channel, which is subject to be assigned based on preliminarily determined selecting order of musical tone-generating channels for assigning a new musical tone, is in sound-generation finished condition, the musical tone-generating channel in sound-generation finished condition; and next, in case a musical tone-generating channel, which is subject to be assigned based on preliminarily determined selecting order of musical tone-generating channels for assigning a new musical tone, is not in sound-generation finished condition, a musical tone-generating channel detected by the successive strike detecting means, to assign a new musical tone.
By the way, as for assigning musical tones generated by successive strikes, considering the masking effect between musical tones of successive strikes, it is effective to preliminarily limit the number of musical tone-generating channels for successive strikes and to assign new musical tones of successive strikes within the limited number of the tone-generating channels, rather than assigning individual new musical tones of successive strikes to different musical tone-generating channels. This is because of the following reason:
Although musical tones of successive strikes generated by musical tone-generating channels have little influence on musical performance, when the number of the musical tone-generating channels is not limited in assigning musical tones of successive strikes, new musical tones of successive strikes are assigned, according to the aforementioned preliminarily determined selection order, to the tone-generating channels which have been generating musical tones effective for musical performance. Consequently, the musical tones effective for musical performance are muted one after another by the new musical tones of successive strikes, thus giving the sense of incongruity.
However, simply limiting the number of the musical tone-generating channels for musical tones of successive strike also give incongruous effect on the performance for the following reason: When the assignment of musical tones of successive strikes has reached the limited number, a new musical tone of successive strikes is assigned to a channel which is already generating a musical tone of successive strikes assigned to the channel even if there are unoccupied channels which have finished generating musical tones.
To solve the above problems, the object of the present invention is to provide an assigning device of an electronic musical instrument, capable of minimizing the sense of incongruity in the musical performance on determining preliminarily the preferential order for assignment of a new musical tone to a musical tone-generating channel, and more generally, determining a musical tone-generating channel for assigning a new musical tone of successive strike.